Corporations Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions: Part One, the National Union of Public and General Employees Union (NUPGE)

Introduction I have pointed out that the major Canadian unions use cliches like "fair contracts." In particular, I have pointed out in another post (Fair Contracts or Collective Agreements: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part Four: The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) (The Second Largest Union in Canada)) that the National … Continue reading Corporations Paying Their Fair Share of Taxes: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions: Part One, the National Union of Public and General Employees Union (NUPGE) →

Fair Wages: Another Example of the Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part One: The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW)

Introduction I was surprised to read an article from Kiri Vadivelu (December 31, 2024, "No to Legislative Strikebreaking! Victory to Postal Workers!") in The Red Review, a "Socialist Action journal." [Socialist Action is an allegedly socialist organization]. Vadivelu was a candidate for mayor in the last municipal elections in Toronto--and I voted for him since he … Continue reading Fair Wages: Another Example of the Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part One: The Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) →

Fair Wages as a Socialist Goal? The Limitations of the Organization Socialist Action

Introduction I was surprised to read an article from Kiri Vadivelu (December 31, 2024, "No to Legislative Strikebreaking! Victory to Postal Workers!") in The Red Review, a "Socialist Action journal." [Socialist Action is an allegedly socialist organization]. Vadivelu was a candidate for mayor in the last municipal elections in Toronto--and I voted for him since he … Continue reading Fair Wages as a Socialist Goal? The Limitations of the Organization Socialist Action →

Another Example of Union Ideology Concerning a “Fair Contract” and “Fair Wages”: The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 831

I came across the following, which provides further evidence of how unions use the concept of "fair wages" to paint over the oppression and exploitation of workers (see https://springmag.ca/municipal-workers-in-brampton-are-striking-for-fair-wages): By Santiago Moran-Izquierdo On November 7, after nine months of negotiations and nine proposals rejected by their employer, City of Brampton workers started their strike. CUPE … Continue reading Another Example of Union Ideology Concerning a “Fair Contract” and “Fair Wages”: The Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 831 →

Another Example of Union Ideology Concerning a “Fair Contract”: the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903

I came across the following, which provides further evidence of how unions use the concept of "fair contract" to paint over the oppression and exploitation of workers ( https://3903.cupe.ca/2024/02/05/clock-ticking-toward-strike-deadline-at-york-university/ ): Clock ticking toward strike deadline at York University Posted on February 5, 2024 by Comms Officer TORONTO–(BUSINESS WIRE)–After six months of negotiations with York University without significant progress, the … Continue reading Another Example of Union Ideology Concerning a “Fair Contract”: the Canadian Union of Public Employees Local 3903 →

Fair Contracts or Collective Agreements: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part Five: The Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU)

Introduction Since in this blog I have often referred to particular union reps referring to collective agreements as fair in some way, I thought it would be useful to provide further examples of this rhetoric to substantiate the view that unions function as ideologues for the continued existence of employers--even if the unions are independent … Continue reading Fair Contracts or Collective Agreements: The Ideological Rhetoric of Canadian Unions, Part Five: The Ontario Public Services Employees Union (OPSEU) →

The Real World of Law and Union Rhetoric: The Case of the Court Order for the People’s Circle to Abandon its Encampment at the University of Toronto

Introduction Below is an article written by Harry Glasbeek (a former Marxist law professor at Osgood Law School of York University in Toronto) on the court order imposed by ; it is posted on the Socialist Project website (https://socialistproject.ca/2024/07/whose-side-is-law-always-on/). Before providing a copy of the article, I will make a couple of comments about union … Continue reading The Real World of Law and Union Rhetoric: The Case of the Court Order for the People’s Circle to Abandon its Encampment at the University of Toronto →

Another Example of the Ideology of Union Leaders that Needs to Be Criticized: The Case of Marvin Alfred, President of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, Toronto

There was a threat of a transit strike in Toronto as of June 7, 2024, but a tentative agreement (called a framework agreement) was established near midnight on June 6. There will be a vote on June 20 to see if the members of the union will ratify (agree to) the proposed collective agreement. In … Continue reading Another Example of the Ideology of Union Leaders that Needs to Be Criticized: The Case of Marvin Alfred, President of the Amalgamated Transit Union Local 113, Toronto →

Should Radical Leftists Indulge and Idealize Organizations of Unions?

John Clarke, former major organizer for the Ontario Coalition Against Poverty (OCAP), recently posted the following on Facebook: John Clarke · As a body representing an array of unions, it is significant that the Toronto Labour Council is able to take this position. [He then posts a link to a post on the Socialist … Continue reading Should Radical Leftists Indulge and Idealize Organizations of Unions? →

Fair Contracts, Decent Work and Other Social-democratic or Social-reformist Clichés: The Case of the Amazon Labour Union

Introduction The relatively recent organizing of Amazon workers into the Amazon Labour Union (ALU) is presented by the social-democratic or reformist left as an astounding success. Certainly, the organization of Amazon workers into a formal union is noteworthy because of, on the one hand, the increasing importance of such "gig" workers in a society dominated … Continue reading Fair Contracts, Decent Work and Other Social-democratic or Social-reformist Clichés: The Case of the Amazon Labour Union →